Programme description for Bachelor's Programme in Social Education (2022–2025)

On successful completion of the study programme, the students will:

Knowledge

• have broad knowledge of the development of the service offer for people with developmental disabilities and know the development and traditions of the social care profession
• have broad knowledge of communication, interaction and collaboration
• have broad knowledge of habilitation and rehabilitation
• have broad knowledge of systematic environmental therapeutic work and behavioral learning
• have broad knowledge of the connections between health, disability, functional impairment and disease in an individual, social and life course perspective
• have a broad knowledge of the symptoms and treatment of the most common somatic diseases and mental disorders
• have broad knowledge of participation, inclusion, equality, non-discrimination and human rights
• have knowledge of research methods, data collection, principles and concepts for assessment of scientific quality
• have knowledge of social conditions and cultural diversity that are important for the practice of the profession
• have broad knowledge of welfare technology and how welfare technology solutions can be used in the services to support the individual's resources and opportunities for coping and independence

Skills

• be able to apply relevant methods in mapping and assessment work in collaboration with the service user to identify goals, interests and needs as a basis for measures and change work
• be able to practice applied behavioral analysis in change, education and / or health and care work
• be able to contribute to good public health through empowerment, participation, health promotion and disease prevention in a life cycle perspective
• be able to identify symptoms of disease and implement necessary measures, including obtaining assistance from other health personnel to ensure proper health care when needed
• be able to carry out sound drug handling
• be able to apply up-to-date knowledge of the health and welfare system, applicable laws, regulations and guidelines in the performance of their services to ensure equal and professionally sound offers to service users
• be able to apply professional knowledge, relevant results from research and development work and scientific methods as a basis for illuminating practical and theoretical issues and make informed choices in the practice of the profession
• be able to plan, implement and evaluate guidance of individuals and groups who are in learning, coping or change processes 

Competence

• have insight into relevant professional and ethical issues in the social worker's professional practice and be able to identify, reflect on and handle these with professional judgment in the performance of the service
• have insight into the theories, processes and methods required to carry out coordinated, systematic and knowledge-based environmental work, habilitation and rehabilitation for people with disabilities in general and developmental disabilities in particular
• be able to, in collaboration with service users and other professions, plan, implement, document and evaluate sound health care and environmental work with emphasis on applied behavioral analysis, including projects that extend over time
• be able to, through relevant forms of expression, convey professional views and knowledge-based practice to contribute to self-determination and equal participation in society for people with disabilities
• be able to plan and implement innovation and service innovation to contribute to systematic and quality-improving work in collaboration with service users, relatives, other service providers and actors
• be able to reflect on their own professional practice and adjust this on the basis of feedback and guidance
• be familiar with global challenges for people with disabilities and professional practice in an international perspective

The curriculum is based on the Ministry of Education and Research's guidelines in the health and social sciences - the Authorized Social Education programme 1 April 2019, as well as National Curriculum Regulations for health and social studies 15 March 2019.

Purpose
The Authorized Social Education programme is a knowledge-based and practice-oriented health and social care education that qualifies for practice of health, care and welfare services in a life course perspective. The education shall also ensure competence and attitudes that form the basis for equal service provision for all groups in society, including the Sami's status as indigenous people and their rights to linguistically and culturally adapted services.

After graduation, the candidate will have competence in disability and social conditions that create disability. The candidate will have special competence in environmental therapeutic work, habilitation and rehabilitation, health promotion and health care. Furthermore, the candidate will have competence in complex needs and developmental disabilities.

The education provides the skills to collaborate with users, relatives, other service providers and actors to promote self-determination, participation, coping, health and quality of life.

The education shall also ensure the community with graduates with the necessary academic competence in the efforts to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal opportunities for personal development and life-enhancement as others.

After graduation, the candidate will have a high level of ethical awareness, good communication and collaboration skills and will be able to work purposefully and systematically to offer services characterized by critical and innovative thinking.

The bachelor's programme in Authorized Social Education at the University of Agder has a public health focus. This is expressed through an emphasis on knowledge that promotes physical and mental health by focusing on healthy living habits and living conditions.

The Authorized Social Education programme at the University of Agder has the following profile:

1. Coping and welfare technology

2. Systematic environmental therapeutic work and behavioral learning

The study programme is divided into 11 topics. The individual course is described in the course description and more fully in the course booklets that are made available to the students in Canvas.

The Authorized Social Education is a programme of professional study and workplace practice is an important learning arena. There are 30 weeks of direct practice in the study programme distributed over three courses during the three-year programme. In addition, skills training / exercises / simulation are included in the studies.

The following teaching methods are used in the programme:

1. Theory or regular classroom teaching

2. Practical studies related to a workplace outside the university

3. Skills training, simulation, exercises, group work, supervision and presentation / implementation of work requirements, knowledge and skills tests.

See the course descriptions regarding compulsory teaching and possibly further details in the course booklets in Canvas.

The programme integrates various interdisciplinary subject areas which together with the more professional-specific subject areas in environmental therapy work constitute the social educator competence. The study is largely based on the pedagogical principle of subject-integrated teaching. Furthermore, the curriculum will be based on another and closely related pedagogical principle, Problem Based Learning (PBL). This means that much of the teaching takes place in groups, simulation and exercises with supervision.

Regarding practical studies:

Internships make up 30 weeks of the education and are divided between:

1. VER112-G: Practice; Functional impairment, Environmental work, Coping and Welfare technology

2. VER211-G: Practice; Nursing and care

3. VER308-G: Individual-oriented environmental practice

Students should normally have direct experience of working with people with mental retardation during one of the internship periods.

The internships are compulsory and require a minimum of 90% participation.

Regarding skills training:

The students learn skills during the various internship periods. In addition, time has been set aside for training in specific skills that are central to the study / in social work. Skills training is compulsory.

The language of instruction is Norwegian.

However, the programme also includes international research articles and some English-language curriculum through all three academic years. This is for the students to gain knowledge of international research, practice and thinking that are important for the student's understanding of their own future professional practice.

The study programme also facilitates student exchange in the 5th semester. See more information at uia.no Exchange students.

All courses in the 1st year of study must be passed to start in VER211-G.

All courses in the 1st year of study, as well as all courses in the 2nd year of study must be passed to start in practice VER308-G in the 5th semester.

To start in VER310-G, all previous courses up to and including the fourth semester must be passed, except VER309-G.

See also prerequisites in the individual course description.

Professional opportunities: As an authorized social educator you can work in the municipal health and social services, in kindergartens and schools. You can also find many employed in mental health work and psychiatry, in substance abuse care, in outreach youth work, in the child welfare service, in the habilitation and rehabilitation service, at municipal / state competence centers and in refugee work.

Further education: Current specializations at the Department of Psychosocial Health at UiA are particularly relevant for social educators. Master's programme or further education in environmental therapeutic approaches is specially adapted. There is no requirement for practice to be admitted to this master's programme/ further education. There are several other opportunities for further education, master's programme and PhD level at the University of Agder and at other educational institutions.

Other relevant further education and master's degrees for social educators can be pedagogical guidance, rehabilitation / habilitation, sexology, public health work, pedagogy / special education, administration and management, targeted environmental work, social work and other social sciences.

Authorization

Completed studies provide the basis for authorization as Authorized Social Educators in accordance with the Health Personnel Act.

Syllabus

The syllabus is approx. 11,500 pages. The syllabus can be changed during the course.

Police

A police certificate of good conduct is required for admission to the programme.

See more information at www.uia.no

Assessment of suitability

Bachelor students in social education will be assessed with regard to suitability, please refer to Regulations on suitability in higher education (no. 859) , pursuant to the Act of 1 April 2005 on universities and university colleges § 4-10, sixth paragraph. The ongoing suitability assessment shall take place throughout the study period. Those students who are notified about doubts about suitability, will be given a close follow-up.

It is a requirement that all students at UiA have their own portable computer (laptop) for use in teaching and examinations, see Examination Regulations, University of Agder, §12d